The present invention relates to a vehicle suspension system and, particularly, to such a vehicle suspension system for substantially reducing the tilt of a moving automobile while being subjected to various road and operational conditions.
Early automobiles had suspension systems which were somewhat similar to those used on wagons and buggies. Such suspension systems were adequate for the speeds and road conditions existing at that time; however, as road conditions improved and speeds increased, suspension systems were gradually improved.
At times, automobile manufacturers have emphasized the ride rather than the cornering abilities of their automobiles. As a result, individual-wheel-type and live axle suspension systems were common in many vehicles.
Independent wheel suspension systems can exaggerate an automobile's tendency to roll or tilt in a cornering situation because the springs on the wheels disposed toward the outside of the curve are depressed to a greater extent than the corresponding springs on the wheels disposed toward the inside of the curve. Similar adverse effects can occur in severe cross-wind conditions. To reduce such adverse effects, stiff suspension systems with limited travel and stiff shock absorbers can be used to minimize such rolling tendency, but they tend to reduce the riding qualities of those vehicles.
To reduce this adverse effect, various suspension systems have been tried and are disclosed in the prior art, such as pneumatic systems, hydraulic systems, spring systems, and various combinations thereof, some controlled by on-board computers. In systems involving transversely disposed springs, however, the prior art generally teaches connecting the spring system to the chassis rather than connecting the transversely disposed spring only to the wheel assemblies, which chassis connection substantially inhibits or prohibits the direct transfer of moments created in one of the wheel assemblies to the other opposing wheel assembly.
What is needed is a suspension system that provides both automatic lean and cornering control for a vehicle whereby a vertical displacement Of a wheel on one side of an vehicle, due to either external influences or operational conditions, causes its opposing wheel to undergo a similar vertical displacement such that both of the wheels act in concert, thereby providing lateral vehicle stability.